


Asides

by issen4



Category: HIStory3 - 圈套 | HIStory3: Trapped, HIStory3: 那一天 | HIStory3: Make Our Days Count
Genre: Bar Room Brawl, But not quite, Car Chase, Gen, M/M, Mention of Hong Ye/Gu Dao Yi, What do movieland cops do?, What do movieland gangsters do?, chapter 7 is AU, chapter 7 is crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2020-09-07 00:01:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20300110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/issen4/pseuds/issen4
Summary: Further adventures of Tang Yi and Meng Shao Fei. ETA: This series is non-chronological and somewhat slice-of-life and totally random, being mostly my take on their life afterwards.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bar brawl, gangsters. A natural match.

Meng Shao Fei had been in exactly one bar fight with Tang Yi, and it was as memorable as he'd imagined. 

Tang Yi usually preferred to go to small, quiet restaurants or teahouses on their dates, and it wasn't just because these places were easy to secure. He _liked_ these places, because the staff knew him well and his food was cooked in the way he liked. Tang Yi had the soul of an old man, Shao Fei decided. But since Tang Yi wasn't totally boring (and because Xing Tian Meng itself owned a number of bars and karaoke lounges), he wasn't averse to spending an evening at such nightspots.

Shao Fei vastly preferred them to Andy's bar, anyway.

The place they were now in had started to get rowdy by the time happy hour came around, and Tang Yi motioned to his bodyguards to stand down since they were preparing to leave. Shao Fei was finishing his drink (not cola this time) and the server had already processed their bill. All that remained was for them to stand up and go.

Then a shoving contest, it seemed like, began at the next table, and a young hoodlum (there was no other way to describe it: drunk, in his early twenties, wearing a brightly-coloured shirt half-buttoned to reveal tattoos on his chest and thick gold chains around his neck) crashed against their table, too quick for Tang Yi's bodyguard to stop him, but that was enough for the bodyguard to shove him to one side with a growl.

Not the best response, as the hoodlum turned around and mistakenly thought it was Tang Yi who'd pushed him, so he roared in Tang Yi's face before Shao Fei could take out his badge. 

Despite the roar being largely unintelligible, another three similarly dressed hoodlums showed up to shout and gesture at him and Tang Yi, clearly intent on protecting their non-existent dignity. "Are you tired of living?" "Dared to push me around?" "Teach him a lesson!" "Come on, boys!"

They punctuated their taunts with jabs of their fingers, and swept half their dishes off the table, sending them crashing to the ground, filling the air with their alcoholic breath and curses. They tugged at Tang Yi's suit as well, commenting that he had insulted them all by dressing better, and was he on a date with a man, of all things?

Shao Fei couldn't help feeling that it would be a bad idea to reveal that he was from the police at his point. He had an inkling Tang Yi was not going for the peaceful solution either.

Tang Yi seemed to have an idea of what he was thinking, for he only raised his eyebrows and gave Shao Fei that smile that was not really a smile, but a shadow of his previous 'oh look, it's Officer Meng Shao Fei to harass me again' smirk.

Shao Fei tensed despite himself. "Tang, surely you don't-" He'd noticed that Tang Yi had already gestured at his bodyguards not to interfere.

Smoothly, as though he was doing nothing out of the ordinary, Tang Yi reached across to the next table and grabbed a beer bottle by the neck, then almost casually, swung it across the back of the nearest hoodlum head.

The lower half of the bottle and a dazed hoodlum splattered to the floor with accompanying crashes.

"You do," Shao Fei sighed, dropping the napkin that he'd raised as an impromptu shield from the flying glass splinters.

Tang Yi raised an eyebrow at him even as both of them got to their feet, pushing their chairs backwards with enough momentum so that the back of each chair met the solar plexus of an approaching thug (thug: the more violent, less interesting variant of hoodlum), forcing the breath out of each and preventing them from getting closer. 

As the fight got under way, Shao Fei resignedly sidestepped a kick, ducked a flying fist (Tang Yi kicked the perpetrator as he flew past), and punched a thug in the throat (he liked his knuckles unbruised). He shoved another towards the wall, hard enough to make the wall lamps rattle. A small leap to the left put him in the perfect position to greet a punch with an ice bucket from the next table, even as he kicked the legs out from under a thug twice his size (well, it felt like that when he fell all over the other table). He kept his eyes peeled for any sort of sharp implement – some hoodlums did carry knives – and once grabbed a thug by his ponytail and managed to swing him into another table (which collapsed). 

Most of the patrons not cowering under the tables had already left, anyway.

It was over faster than Shao Fei expected, but then Tang Yi and his broken bottle had already taken out half of the group, leaving them wide-eyed and bleeding from various cuts. Tang Yi's bodyguards had taken care of the rest, keeping them fearful and bewildered at how quickly the situation had turned.

"Is Manager Cheng here?" Tang Yi asked, setting down his broken bottle and adjusting his clothes with nonchalant ease. 

Silence greeted him.

Tang Yi's brow furrowed. "I have an appointment with him," he said.

Finally, a man who looked like he was in his sixties shuffled out from the back of the bar, his face horrified at the destruction and mess. When he saw Tang Yi, all the blood seemed to drain from his face. "Boss Tang!" he exclaimed, horror growing in his voice as he glanced around. "I'm terribly sorry, I didn't expect this to happen."

The first hoodlum who had taunted them stood up, his body weaving with too much beer and a possible concussion. "Why are you so polite to him, Gramps, he's just-" The older man's whack at the side of his head clearly stunned him and he turned betrayed eyes on him. "Gramps, what the hell-"

Manager Cheng hit him again. "Is this the way to speak to Boss Tang?" he demanded. "What have I taught you, Ah Jie?"

"But-"

"I believe my conditions were quite clear," Tang Yi said. "No drugs, no guns and no fake liquor."

"Fake-" Manager Cheng turned a wrathful look at Ah Jie. "How many times have I told you-"

"It was just-"

"Just what?" Manager Cheng looked as though he would have liked to kick him in the guts. 

Ah Jie subsided into aggrieved mutters.

After a moment, Manager Cheng said in a conciliatory way to Tang Yi, "Boss Tang, as you can see, the problem with this place is the fault of my useless grandson and his degenerate friends. And my fault too, for not keeping a tight enough rein on things. But the basics are good. The place fills up quickly in the evenings, and there's parking at the back. My cook has been with us for over twenty years. We have a live band to play every Friday-" He stopped short at Tang Yi's nod, his eyes widening, hope starting to brighten his face.

Tang Yi walked over to Shao Fei, examining him anew as though to reassure himself that Shao Fei was uninjured. "All right," he said, brushing some broken glass from Shao Fei's jacket and smoothing back his hair. "I will think it over tonight and send over an offer tomorrow afternoon. We can negotiate then."

Manager Cheng breathed out in relief. "Thank you, Boss Tang. I promise you, you won't regret it, this place will bring in money!"

***

"Will it?" Shao Fei asked when they were in the car.

"Hm?" Tang Yi wrapped a hand around Shao Fei's cock, smiling against his gasp. 

"Bring in money." He moaned as Tang Yi began to slide his hand up and down, his fingers closing in a fist around his erection, the motion hot and tight.

"It should," Tang Yi said. "It needs a complete overhaul, of course," he murmured, burying his face against Shao Fei's neck, biting and sucking at the soft skin there. 

"Tang-" Shao Fei couldn't help but rock urgently into Tang Yi's grip, letting him set the pace, feeling as though he was going to explode and trying to hold out as long as he could. But Tang Yi knew his body too well, and shortly after Shao Fei came with a muffled shout against Tang Yi's lips. "Love you," he whispered to Tang Yi once he was able to do something other than pant.

Tang Yi's reply was a deep kiss that took his breath away. The sticky mess in his jeans was going to feel really uncomfortable in a while, but until then, Shao Fei revelled in the combination of adrenaline from the fight, pleasure from satisfying the sharp ache of desire and the sheer exhilaration of being together.

/end


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's a gangster drama without a car chase?

Without planning to, Tang Yi and Shao Fei gave simultaneous sighs of relief once they had handed over the sleeping child to Gu Dao Yi, who nodded thanks at them and rapidly took her inside the house.

"Peace at last," Shao Fei said as they got back to their car. 

Tang Yi gave him a look that tried hard to be disapproving but failed. He got into the driver's seat without a reply.

"She's adorable, but she's a two-person job and more," Shao Fei said in his own defence as he slipped into the passenger's seat beside him. "And besides, we took her for the whole weekend so her parents could have a romantic getaway. I think we've done enough to help Hong Ye." 

Tang Yi gave a blink that was his version of a shrug. He adored his niece, and accepted all of Hong Ye, warts and all, with his usual equanimity. 

Shao Fei went on, "You know, I can't believe that Hong Ye did not even call once for the entire weekend her daughter was with us."

"She knows we're taking good care of her," Tang Yi said, unconcerned. He glanced at the side of the road, and frowned as though traffic was too heavy for his liking.

"Dao Yi-ge called three times," Shao Fei countered. 

"I don't think I'm giving away a lot about Hong Ye's childhood to tell you that she doesn't know how to be an over-protective mother."

Shao Fei could guess, even from the little that his investigations into Zuo Hong Ye from long ago had revealed. He wouldn't wish Hong Ye's childhood on anyone and the only piece of luck she had was meeting Tang Yi on the streets, who became her protector. Come to think of it, it was remarkable how Tang Guo Dong had taken in two traumatised children from the streets and managed to nurture them into two (mostly) well-adjusted adults. 

Well, one grew up to be a gang boss, but you can't have everything.

"Someone is tailing us," Tang Yi interrupted Shao Fei's train of thought. He glanced at the rearview mirror immediately, and realised that Tang Yi was right: there was a dark blue sedan just two cars away, not even being subtle about it.

"When did it start?" Shao Fei asked.

Tang Yi was silent for a second, obviously thinking back, even as he placed the car into gear to speed up. "Soon after we left Hong Ye's place." 

"Hm." Shao Fei studied the rearview mirror even more intently. That meant whoever was following them was very careful to ensure that Hong Ye and Gu Dao Yi were not linked to this, and _that_ meant that this had to do with Tang Yi and Xing Tian Meng.

"I'll try to lose them," Tang Yi said. There hadn't been much gang-related trouble since he was released from prison and continued the work of cleaning up Xing Tian Meng with renewed urgency. In fact, Xing Tian Meng had recently been re-organised as a co-operative so that the gang members that remained, especially those that didn't know any other way of life, would have a share in the businesses that they operated, and earn their livelihood that way. It was not as lucrative as drug dealing or other illegal activities, but it was a living.

Shao Fei watched as Tang Yi accelerated even more and even switched lanes a few times, but the blue sedan was unrelenting, even a few times coming up just behind them, close enough for Shao Fei to spot the licence plate.

"I'll call the station," he said, suiting word to action. "Zhao Zi, are you at the station?" he said into his phone. "Long story short, we're being following by this car, it's a blue-" he described the car and rattled off the licence plate. He waited, then heard Zhao Zi's reply. "But that's not possible," he said. He glanced up at Tang Yi. "Zhao Zi says the car is registered to a Tang Guo Dong."

A muscle jumped in Tang Yi's cheek at the mention. Shao Fei asked again, "Zhao Zi, _that_ Tang Guo Dong?" Zhao Zi's reply had him frowning. "Never mind that, Zhao Zi, can you get backup to us first thing?" he asked. Getting an answer in the affirmative, he hung up and said, "How about Xing Tian Meng?"

Before Tang Yi could answer, a black truck joined the blue sedan, speeding up alongside so that they could try to railroad Tang Yi's car and force it off the road. "Damn," Tang Yi muttered as he assessed the situation, and glanced at Shao Fei. "Hold on," he said, and then they were off.

Shao Fei had been through his share of car chases, and even led them a few times in pursuit of suspects. Were this any other time, he'd have admired Tang Yi's skill at evading the two vehicles, weaving in and out of the traffic, darting into side roads too narrow for more than one car to follow, and using the car's speed to advantage to outrun both cars. 

They rode the curb a few times, and their car bounced a few times from the speed, seemingly on the verge of rolling over. Shao Fei grabbed on for dear life, while Tang Yi's eyes grew hard as he nosed the car into spaces that seemed almost too narrow, ignoring the irate horning from other drivers who had just avoided crashing into them. They managed not to rear-end any other car and not to be rear-ended themselves, squeezing into bike paths and forcing terrified cyclists to swerve out of the way. Yells of protest and curses followed them, and at the speed Tang Yi was driving, even those receded into the distance in no time.

But traffic was getting heavier and that made it harder to evade their tails. They were about to reach the outskirts of Taipei, at which point Shao Fei was really, really counting on police backup.

Then a red sports car came out of nowhere and Tang Yi jammed on the brakes, barely missing it. It was the perfect opportunity for the blue sedan and black trunk to hem them in. "Shit," Shao Fei said as the occupants of the vehicles exited and started walking towards them. Surprisingly, they were not armed. He looked at Tang Yi, wondering if brandishing his own gun would accomplish anything while Tang Yi grabbed his arm, whether for comfort or to stop him from acting impetuously, Shao Fei had no idea.

A man wearing a badly-fitting suit leant down at the driver's side and Tang Yi reluctantly rolled down the window. 

"Boss Tang, may we invite you for a little meeting?" he asked.

*** 

Shao Fei looked around the secluded yet immaculately tended house which was located in the middle of nowhere an hour out of Taipei. There was a traditional Japanese tea pavilion, and already, a number of high end sedans and vans (for ferrying minions, er, bodyguards and underlings) had swung into the massive driveway. "So these are the members of Si He Group," he said.

Not quite what he was expecting when he and Tang Yi got kidnapped- okay, coerced to this meeting, though it looked like Tang Yi was familiar with the place too. Tang Yi was clearly known to a few of the other dark-suited men gathering at the grounds, who stared at him in either hostility or suspicion (or both) "Looks like we're just waiting for the main feature," he said.

"Can't we slip away now?" Shao Fei asked. 

"Where everyone here has a gun?" Tang Yi said. Their kidnappers had been unarmed, but that couldn't be said of the others here. 

"Damn." Shao Fei hoped that backup was comng, but as their kidnappers had made him leave his phone behind, he wasn't sure how quickly they would be found. To distract himself, Shao Fei nodded at the surroundings. "Although I must say, in all my years as a cop, this is the first time I'm actually witnessing a gang underboss meeting."

"It'lll be the last, if I have anything to say about it," Tang Yi said. "This is Si He Group's business, not Xing Tian Meng's, and anyway we have already withdrawn from all of the dealings in the underworld. We shouldn't be part of this anymore."

"Yeah," Shao Fei said, "but like what our kidnapper who called himself Black Bear (I've seen his face on a wanted list before, I swear) was saying just now, there's some unfinished business from the time Tang Guo Dong was still alive."

Tang Yi frowned into the distance. "I wonder what deals Tang-ye had with them." He looked around at the increasingly crowded compound. "Will you be okay here? You can't join in, you know."

Shao Fei feigned outrage. "I see how this is. You act as the big man of the house and I'm left waiting outside like a child who can't eat at the adults' table, huh?"

Tang Yi obviously appreciated his attempt to lighten the atmosphere, now that more gang underbosses were gathering and were eyeing them with open suspicion. He laid an arm on Shao Fei's shoulders, and pulled him close, their foreheads touching. When he let Shao Fei go, his eyes were fierce. "Things are usually peaceful at these kinds of meetings," he said, "or no one would want to attend them anymore. But if anything happens-"

"I jump right in and rescue you?" Shao Fei said brightly.

Tang Yi touched his cheek. "You run for your life," he said. His eyes flickered downwards just once, and Shao Fei knew he was referring to Shao Fei's gun, concealed at his shoulder holster. Just because he was with Tang Yi, no one had dared to search him. "I'm serious. I can take care of myself, so you need to stay alive, too." 

"But Tang-"

Tang Yi's hand on his cheek grew firmer. "I need you to listen to me on this," he said. "All right?"

He nodded reluctantly. 

***  
It took more than an hour before Tang Yi exited the meeting room, his face dark. The Si He Group underbosses were still inside.

"Tang Yi-" Shao Fei began.

"Let's go." Tang Yi led him towards the red sports car.

"But what-" He got in when Tang Yi did, buckling up automatically. 

Tang Yi took a deep breath, and turned to Shao Fei as though to reassure himself that Shao Fei was unharmed. 

"Tang-ye had a car dealership in his personal name," he said. "He handed the business to Boss Wei as part of the settlement between Xing Tian Meng and Si He Group, with the understanding that it would be returned to Xing Tian Meng after he died."

Shao Fei took a moment to digest the news. "But Boss Wei did nothing after Tang Guo Dong was killed."

"He said because I was injured and in a coma then, he put the transfer on hold," Tang Yi's upper lip were curled, showing what he thought of that reason. 

Shao Fei looked around. "This is one of the cars?"

"It's obvious that he's been using the dealership for his own purpose and now, it's on the verge of going out of business, he's decided to 'honour' his agreement with Tang-ye," Tang Yi went on. "I'll have to sort this out. Let's get back first, though."

"Uh, sure," Shao Fei said, then he almost yelled out loud when Tang Yi pulled the car into gear and they shot out of the parking lot on to the road back to Taipei.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Then there's gang politics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And some explicit scenes.

When Shao Fei got home from a three-day conference, his senses went on high alert from the row of unfamiliar black cars parked outside the road leading to the mansion. Tang Yi's own men were looking out for him, and waved him in under the curious glares of the men in suits standing around. They didn't look unduly alarmed, so Shao Fei turned his somewhat battered-looking Toyota (an embarrassment among all the other shiny black cars in the driveway) to his usual parking spot.

One of Tang Yi's assistants came over to him. "Officer Meng, Boss said that if you got back early, to ask you to enter by the side door."

"Ben, what's going on? Who's here?" Shao Fei glancing around the standing men and spotting, incongruously, a few of his previous arrests (who immediately ducked their heads to escape his scrutiny).

"The underboss from Yilan, Brother Wei," Ben said. "And the others are from Big Mountain gang, with their boss Cheng Tao.They're here to settle a dispute." 

Ah, Xing Tian Meng matters. Even as Tang Yi phased out the illegal dealings in the gang, the gang itself continued mostly intact. They didn't need as many enforcers and bruisers, but the underbosses in various region still looked to Tang Yi if a territorial or personnel dispute arose, and especially if those disputes involved members of other gangs. Tang Yi had to walk a tightrope between fairness, upholding Xing Tian Meng's interests (and especially their reputation), and not resorting to illegal means. "I see," Shao Fei said. In the interests of not disrupting Tang Yi at his (official) duties, Shao Fei did, indeed, go into the house through the side door.

He couldn’t resist going just outside the main living room, hoping for a glimpse of Tang Yi after three days apart. The other men standing outside obligingly made space. The room was packed, with Tang Yi seated on an armchair on one end. He caught sight of Shao Fei too, though the only sign he gave was that his eyes widened a fraction before as he turned his attention back to the people standing before him. There was an advantage to cultivating that stone-faced expression, Shao Fei had to admit. 

"There's an easy way to settle this, Boss Cheng," Tang Yi said. "Hand over all your businesses in Yilan over to Xing Tian Meng."

The other man, who must be Cheng Tao, balked. "But Boss Tang, Xing Tian Meng doesn't deal in drugs. Once you take over, you'll clean up the drug dealing in my businesses there."

"That goes without saying."

"But my business in Taipei depends on the supply from Yilan! You'll be cutting off my supply!"

"It's entirely your choice, Boss Cheng. If you prefer, we can always inform the police and let them do the cleaning up."

Shao Fei gave a start, and frowned at Tang Yi.

Who continued to stare at Boss Cheng. "I'm sure you know that Xing Tian Meng are on good terms with the police and are happy to cooperate with them at any time." 

The man looked furious. "So this is what they mean by Xing Tian Meng having the advantages of both black and white," he said.

"Well, Boss Cheng?" Tang Yi asked, as though there was nothing out of the extraordinary. "I have an important matter tomorrow and I will need your reply by today." 

"…all right. I agree to your conditions."

Looked like the matter had been settled. Shao Fei slipped off upstairs again, before Boss Cheng could spot him. It was one thing for the other gangs to know that Tang Yi was in a relationship with a police officer, but it would be an unnecessary provocation for them to come across Shao Fei. Very soon, Shao Fei hoped, there wouldn't be a need for all this hiding. 

***

Tang Yi was glad to catch that glimpse of his lover. While Shao Fei was better about answering phone calls and replying to messages these days, Tang Yi always felt better when he could see Shao Fei himself and assure himself that he was fine. Besides, they had an important task tomorrow.

He dismissed the rest of the men after Boss Cheng left, and the house was quiet again. The kitchen showed signs of Shao Fei re-heating and finishing the dinner that Tang Yi had made for him, and the sight made Tang Yi feel content, somehow. He went up to their room, and was promptly tackled by Shao Fei wearing nothing but a bathrobe. After a long kiss, Tang Yi teased him, "Is that all, Officer Meng?"

"Not even close." Somehow, Shao Fei made it sound like a caress. "I hate to admit it, but you look sexy as a gang boss."

Tang Yi felt his heartbeat speed up.

Shao Fei had that Mona Lisa smile again, the one he wore when he felt inspired to seduce Tang Yi, and he unbuttoned Tang Yi's shirt with long, deft fingers, pushing it down and holding his gaze as he ran his hands slowly over Tang Yi's chest. "Missed you," Tang Yi murmured, one arm wrapping around Shao Fei's waist in renewed welcome. "Everything okay at your conference?"

Shao Fei let himself half-collapse against Tang Yi, enjoying the closeness. "It was fine," he reassured him. "I think I'm becoming old news by now. Only three of them (these cowards, never acting on their own) got together to give me shit."

"I trust you've dealt with them adequately." He guided them towards the bed, guessing what Shao Fei wanted. There was always someone who wanted to confront Shao Fei for being in a relationship with the leader of Xing Tian Meng, and it made Shao Fei indignant. And horny.

"Hm?" Shao Fei's attention was concentrated at crook of Tang Yi's neck, which he proceeded to kiss and nibble. They were now on the bed. "Oh, sure. Reported them for harassment, and before that I stomped on them for additional measure."

"We ordinary citizens are so glad of the police's civilising presence."

Shao Fei snorted, and ran his hands down Tang Yi's sides. Tang Yi shivered as the calluses on Shao Fei's fingers on his chest aroused him, and he returned Shao Fei's anticipatory gaze even as he undid Shao Fei's bathrobe in turn. Beneath the bathrobe, Shao Fei's skin was smooth and warm, even slightly tinged with the perspiration that attested to Shao Fei's own excitement and his slightly higher body temperature. The rush of arousal was so strong that Tang Yi's head seemed to spin. Shao Fei squirmed for a moment, then shivered as Tang Yi slipped his hand between Shao Fei's legs. 

"I want-" he began, and gasped when Tang Yi squeezed his erection, sliding only a merest fraction.

"Want what?" Tang Yi asked, now kissing the side of Shao Fei's neck, feeling him first shiver, then sigh heavily, his breath warm where it met Tang Yi's skin. "Hm?" he prompted, when it seemed like Shao Fei was too overcome to reply.

Shao Fei turned to look at him, his cheeks now flushing – not from shyness, as he had been in the early days of their relationship, but from growing arousal. "To do you," he nodded to himself as he said it, as though to dispel any lingering shyness. 

"Oh, really?" Tang Yi leant down to suck and nibble at his neck hungrily, but so gently that it wouldn't leave a mark; he didn't like Shao Fei's co-workers speculating about Shao Fei's hickeys, though Shao Fei didn't mind in the least. Shao Fei moaned and squirmed even closer to let him do as he pleased. "You better be quick, then," he said to Shao Fei.

"You bet," Shao Fei said, the automatic retort turned into a desperate plea. 

They had to separate to remove the rest of their clothes and as though the brief pause had inflamed them even further, they fell on each other as though ravenous and could only get sustenance from each other. Tang Yi kissed Shao Fei, feeling Shao Fei's slicked-up fingers probing at his entrance, and he rolled them towards the centre of the bed as he wrapped his legs around Shao Fei. 

Shao Fei's fingers were always gentle, despite his eager kisses and bites at Tang Yi's neck and chest, and he entered Tang Yi with such care and slowness that it was almost excruciating. Tang Yi felt as though he were breaking down, and Shao Fei inside him seemed to reduce him to nothingness. Only Shao Fei's thrusts, beginning slow and speeding up with longer and faster strokes as Shao Fei's urgency grew, were rebuilding him up all over again.

He could hear his own moans of 'Shao Fei' coming as though from a long way off, and bent to place more kisses on Shao Fei's chest, his hands gripping Shao Fei's shoulders for balance. His own erection, slapping against his belly and Shao Fei's, felt almost too hot. Shao Fei groped him clumsily, his usual nimble fingers made slow by arousal. They were both getting close. 

Shao Fei's eyes were hazed over with desire, his face flushed and his usual earnest expression transforming into urgency and desperation. Tang Yi loved to watch him like this. "How about now?" he whispered.

"Yes…"

Tang Yi pulled Shao Fei even more firmly towards himself, feeling as though Shao Fei's thrusts had redoubled in frequency. Shao Fei bit his neck, his teeth scraping over Tang Yi's now sweat-slippery skin, and came inside Tang Yi with a groan. The intimacy burned through Tang Yi, who let himself go as well.

They held each other as they shivered through the remnants of their climaxes, Tang Yi's hands running up and down the length of Shao Fei's body, from shoulder down to where they were joined and beginning to be disengaged. Once separated, he teased, "That's it?" A reference to the first time Shao Fei tried to seduce him.

In retaliation, Shao Fei kissed him until he was breathless. "One day," he swore, catching his own breath in turn, "I will make you eat those words."

"You'd better." Tang Yi hadn't the heart to tell him that he already had, a long time ago. Things were good when Shao Fei let himself go. He was gorgeous when he let himself enjoy what his body wanted, and every moment of them together was seared in Tang Yi's memory. "After tomorrow." 

"Of course," said Shao Fei, who seemed intent on having the last word. He leant heavily against Tang Yi as they stumbled to the bathroom for a quick clean-up, then grumbled once they were they were back in bed that Tang Yi had thrown his (frankly execrable flannel) shirt on the floor again.

"Sweetheart, you have got to let me buy you some new shirts, yours are getting old," Tang Yi murmured as he pulled the thin blanket over them.

"Why would I need to buy any new shirts when I can wear yours?" Shao Fei retorted, then gave an enormous yawn. "I can, right?" he asked, snuggling even closer, his eyelids drifting close.

"Forever," he whispered as he watched Shao Fei sinking deeper into sleep.

***

The almanac had stated it was an auspicious date, and would be suitable for all kinds of new ventures: a new business, job interviews, moving house and marriage. It wasn't really why they chose that date, however: it was the earliest date they could find after Shao Fei managed to wrangle some leave off work, after his work conference, and also that Tang Yi didn't have any Xing Tian Meng matters due.

The household registry office was a little crowded, however, probably because of the auspicious date. Most of the couples were the usual male-female couples in suit and wedding dress (a few pairs were in traditional dress); there were at least three female couples: one in striking, matching evening gowns, and the other two in casual wear; and there was another male couple besides them, in suits holding hands.

Hong Ye and Dao Yi, who were signing as witnesses, were still inclined to be a bit dreamy upon seeing the bustle of the couples-to-be in the waiting area, making lovey-dovey eyes at each other and generally being in their own world. Shao Fei felt conspicuous in his suit, though Tang Yi looked smart (as usual) in his. They filled out the form together, glancing up at the other so much that Shao Fei made a total hash of it and they had to fill out a fresh one.

After they submitted the forms and were waiting for their names to be called, Tang Yi placed a small jewellery box before him. "I know you said you trust my taste," he said, "but just tell me if you don't like it, we can shop for new ones together."

Shao Fei picked up the box, feeling excited. "Oh, are these our rings?" he said, opening the lid. "I said so long they weren't too flashy and didn't go over my budget-" he blinked at the contents. "Oh."

The rings were, as ordered, not flashy. They were plain gold and simple, but to Shao Fei's eyes, looked just right. He found himself smiling, unexpectedly touched. 

"Look inside," Tang Yi said.

Eyebrows rising, Shao Fei picked up first one, then the other, and squinted. Their names were engraved inside each other's ring. "Oh," he said again.

"Is Officer Meng too touched to speak?" Tang Yi asked, but his voice was tender.

"Of course not!" he replied instantly. "Just... just processing it."

Tang Yi took his hand. "I've wanted to do this for a long time," he said, gazing into Shao Fei's eyes. Slowly, he took Shao Fei's ring and slid it into his ring finger. "I love you, Meng Shao Fei."

Unable to look away, Shao Fei found Tang Yi's hand by touch, and similarly put the ring on. "Tang Yi, I love you."

Aware that the waiting room was crowded and strangers were watching, they exchanged only a brief kiss, but held hands tightly.

Their names were called and they approached the counter. All it took was a further verification of their identities, then the clerk handed them their newly minted identity cards, each now stating their marital status as married. 

"You need to pay another fee to apply for an actual marriage certificate, but it's not required now that your registration is done," she told them.

"Uh-" Shao Fei looked at Tang Yi.

"Yes, we'd like that," Tang Yi said, making the payment rapidly, before looking at Shao Fei. "And I thought I was the unemotional one," he teased. "You don't even want to have a marriage certificate?"

Shao Fei looked unrepentant. "It's not that. Just that, I have this, and this," he waved his new identity card, not so accidentally showing off the ring on his finger. He leant against Tang Yi for a moment, his breath warm on Tang Yi's cheeks. "And you. Don't need something to hang on a wall."

They left the household registry hand in hand. Hong Ye and Dao Yi had gone on to the company first, where Hong Ye had arranged for a small celebration for them. They had just approached the car when another of Tang Yi's men rushed up to them. "Boss, bad news in Hualien! Our territory-" He rattled off the details of yet another territorial dispute.

Tang Yi felt too mellow to even get angry. He exchanged a look with Shao Fei, who said, "Well, now we know where to go for the honeymoon."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ETA: Sooner or later, everyone knows not to touch Meng Shao Fei.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part's a bit rambly.

Tang Yi got back home in the late afternoon and entered the bedroom to see his husband bare-chested and purloining one of his dress shirts, holding it up before himself in front of the mirror.

"I thought your ex-classmate's wedding reception was tomorrow," he said, walking over to kiss Shao Fei, looking at his reflection in the mirror. They were supposed to attend that together.

"Um," Shao Fei returned the kiss, then placed his chin briefly on Tang Yi's shoulder. "It turns out a lot of us happen to be in Taipei, so we decided to have an impromptu class reunion today." He started to shrug the shirt on.

"Let me," Tang Yi took over the buttoning of his shirt, smoothing it out and liking how it fit just a little loosely over Shao Fei's body. Shao Fei was a little lankier in build than Tang Yi and the fine cotton shirt brought out the lean musculature around his shoulders. 

"...are you groping me?"

"Any objections?"

Shao Fei snorted. "None at all, grope away, I'm enjoying it." He curled even closer, his breath a warm puff of air at Tang Yi's neck, mildly ticklish. "But I've got to leave soon."

Tang Yi made a small sound of displeasure. 

"You have dinner with Hong Ye later, at that new place at 101," Shao Fei pointed out.

"That's for work," Tang Yi said. He'd never do anything as stuffy as have dinner in a restaurant when it was just him and Hong Ye and Dao Yi. It felt better to have a home-cooked meal (cooked by him, of course). "It's for the new joint development with Shi Hai. Dao Yi-ge can't go, the investors will try to talk him instead of Hong Ye, and then she'll blow her stack." Tang Yi was going only because he represented the Xing Tian Meng end of the matter.

Shao Fei made a face. "She's the CEO, why would they ignore her? Don't they value their lives?"

Tang Yi didn't comment on how being the Young Miss of Xing Tian Meng was automatically a leadership position in the underworld but being a woman in the commercial world meant that any man standing beside you made the decisions. Instead, he smoothed Shao Fei's hair, petting his stubborn hair to make it look neater, and took the opportunity to kiss him again.

Shao Fei's cheeks were slightly flushed once they stopped. "Mm, 's nice," he murmured, then added a little reluctantly, "I'll probably be back quite late, since we'll be drinking. Don't wait up."

"We'll see." He waited until Shao Fei had picked up a casual jacket. "You aren't driving yourself, are you?"

Shao Fei gave him an amused look. "Excuse me, I'm Meng Shao Fei, I'm a member of the police force. A fine example I'd turn out, driving after drinking. I asked Xiao Zhang for help." Xiao Zhang was one of Tang Yi's men.

"No, no, no," Tang Yi objected. "Xiao Zhang is too new. I'll get Ray to drive you instead." Ray was one of his most trusted men.

"Ray usually drives you, though."

"I'd feel better if he drives you, especially if you're coming back late," Tang Yi said, and kissed him as though to seal the decision. "And take my car. I'll use the spare."

"All right," Shao Fei acquiesced with good humour. He reached out to place his phone in his pocket, and Tang Yi walked him downstairs, saw to the change of drivers and car, and waved him off.

***

After high school, most of his classmates had gone their different ways: Work, university, the army. A few had gone overseas for studies, and they'd lost touch eventually. Especially Shao Fei, after he enrolled in police academy, and was swept up in police work. He'd reconnected with a few sporadically, especially if they were in Taipei, but otherwise he hadn't seen most of them in person for more than fifteen years.

Once inside the private room of the restaurant, Shao Fei looked around, getting his bearings. 

Someone approached. "Meng Shao Fei, is that you?" 

His memory for faces didn't fail him. "Gigi? Zeng Li Qi? Our year's school belle."

The tall, smartly dressed woman in a pantsuit giggled as though they were sixteen again. "School belle? You still remember that ridiculous title."

"Well, everyone bet that you would become a model or an actress, but I heard you became a doctor. The belle part still fits, though." He approached and was not entirely surprised when she grabbed him in a bear hug. Gigi had always been affectionate.

"That's Dr. Zeng to you," she said when they separated. "But thanks? You're looking good, too. Never thought I'd see Meng Shao Fei looking all cleaned up. I heard that you're a cop."

"Meng Shao Fei?" someone exclaimed from the other end of the room. "It's really you! I was wondering if you'd turn up!" The speaker was tall, in a suit, his good looks unchanged by the years, and his expression as Shao Fei looked at him was a mixture of outward joviality and curiosity.

"I live in Taipei, of course I'd come," Shao Fei gave an awkward wave, not certain whether to shake hands or give him a hug. "Hao. Long time no see."

"Jia Hao Ran!" Gigi exclaimed, recognising him. "You went to America for studies right after graduation! I heard that you're working in the mainland now."

Hao nodded, though his smile dimmed a bit. "Li Qi, it's been a long time." Something about his smile implied that it had not been long enough. 

Gigi snorted. "You're not still peeved that I hung out so much with Ah Fei, are you?" she asked. "Oh please, we lived in the same neighbourhood, you know."

An annoyed look settled on Hao's face, just for moment. "Of course not. That's old news," he said.

"Yeah, water under the bridge. Besides, Ah Fei's taken already." She punched Shao Fei lightly on the arm. "Congrats, but who was so long-suffering as to get shackled to you?" 

"You got married?" Hao looked at him up and down, his eyes slightly widened as though the concept was alien to him.

"No need to sound so astonished," Gigi said. "As they say, even a straw shoe has a mate." (1)

"Hey," Shao Fei protested mildly, a little taken aback at Hao's reaction. "I'm at least on the level of leather shoes." Tang Yi was handstitched Italian loafers that cost a good six months of his salary; it would be nice if they didn't look too mismatched, standing together.

"In your dreams," Gigi teased, then asked, "How about you, Hao? Hao?"

Hao blinked and looked at Gigi. "What?"

"I was going to ask, are you married." Gigi looked from him to Shao Fei, the beginnings of a frown on her face.

"Oh. Divorced." He stared at Shao Fei. "You're really married?"

"Ring and all," Gigi answered for him, pointing at Shao Fei's hand.

"Um, yeah." Shao Fei said, glancing down at the ring glinting on his finger. He was already so used to the ring that half the time, he didn't remember that he was wearing it. Wasn't their anniversary coming up soon? Yay, their anniversary was coming up!

"Ah Fei, that's a very lecherous look you have there," Gigi said, laughter in her voice.

She made it sound like he had sex on the mind all the time. "What did you say?" he said indignantly.

"Excuse me," Hao said, looking from him to Gigi. "I saw someone I want to talk to. Catch up with you later, Shao Fei." He twisted away and hurried towards the doors.

"Uh, sure," Shao Fei watched in bemusement as Ah Hao left.

Gigi elbowed him. "Come sit with me," she said, and led him to a table where they sat down. "Did you know he was divorced?" she asked.

"No. I haven't seen him since high school."

"I thought you guys kept in contact. You were pretty close, weren't you?"

"Sort of." He'd never told Tang Yi, mainly because it was so long ago, but Jia Hao Ran was actually the first boy he'd ever kissed. At that time, Shao Fei was the ambivalent one, while Ah Hao was the one who insisted that it was perfectly fine to kiss boys. A teenage horny Shao Fei went along with that - besides, Ah Hao was a good friend - until just before they were due to graduate, when Shao Fei was starting to think that he had the hang of this relationship – and Ah Hao said they were just experimenting. Shao Fei would have been hurt if there hadn't been so many things going on at that time: family matters, finishing high school and not least, his application to the police academy.

It wasn't until his first year in the police academy that he realised he could be attracted to men and not just as an experiment. Being Meng Shao Fei, he accepted it and went about his life, figuring it'd all work out once he fell in love.

(And it did.)

Since Tang Yi also had zero hang-ups about the nature of their relationship, Shao Fei happily let things run their natural course: living together, kissing, fucking, dating, waiting for your partner to get out of jail, and marriage.

Um, wait. That sounded a little-

"I always thought he liked you. Like like, you know."

"We hung out a lot, but we lost touch after high school," Shao Fei said, then changed the topic. "So, how old are your children now?"

"Wait, how did you know-"

***

Tang Yi was a little taken aback to get a phone call from Jack. It was just past midnight, not late enough for him to wonder whether Shao Fei was getting back soon, but late enough that an ex-employee calling him was unusual.

"Ex-boss!" Jack said before he could say anything. "First of all, Officer Meng is totally fine-"

Tang Yi stood up. "What happened?"

"-but his phone got destroyed."

"Jack."

"...I'll get him." There was a great deal of muttered argument, overlaid with Shao Fei's familiar, commanding tones in the background, which reassured Tang Yi.

Finally Shao Fei's voice came through the phone, "Hey, Tang Yi. I told Jack I'd call you in fifteen minutes, but he went ahead and-"

"Weren't you at your class reunion? Why is Jack there?"

"Something happened at the reunion, and we're at the police station. Jack's here because Zhao Zi's on late shift tonight. I was about to call because I'm stuck here trying to get Ray released, and also your car's still at the restaurant."

"Are you all right? You and Ray."

"Oh, Ray's okay except for some scratches." 

"And you?" Jack had said 'Officer Meng' was fine but Jack would say that of anyone who wasn't bleeding out onto the floor. "Are you injured?"

"Um."

"Shao Fei." He put just enough emphasis in it so that his husband would know that he was worried.

"...You should see the other guy?"

"I'll come over now."

"Okay, but I'm really all right. Just a few bruises, no big deal."

***

At the lobby of the police station, Tang Yi was relieved to see that Shao Fei hadn't understated things for once. There was a colourful cartoon bandaid on his left cheek and he looked roughened at the edges but otherwise he looked like his usual self. He was talking to a woman who was most likely one of his old classmates.

"Shao Fei!"

His husband glanced up and his face lit up. "Tang!"

Tang Yi made his way rapidly towards them, where Shao Fei promptly latched on to his arm. "Gigi, this is my husband, Tang Yi," he introduced. "Tang, this is Gigi." 

The woman eyed him for a moment. "Ah Hao never had a chance, huh," she said, and stuck out a hand. "I'm Gigi, Zeng Li Qi. Shao Fei and I were in the same class in high school."

"Tang Yi," he returned the handshake briefly, then turned to Shao Fei. "What happened?"

"Um," Shao Fei rubbed his nose for a moment. "The thing is-"

Gigi leant over. "Ah Hao's ex thought Ah Hao was cheating on him with Shao Fei and so-" she shrugged, "catfight?"

Tang Yi looked at Shao Fei, incredulous.

Shao Fei said to him, "What's with that look? You don't think I'm attractive enough to be the third party, like that vixen Andy?"

"And what was worse," Gigi went on in an exaggerated sepulchral tone, "Ah Hao's ex is from some kind of gangster family!"

Ah. That explained it. 

"It's just a small-time gang," Shao Fei muttered under his breath. "It doesn't even come under my radar," said the vice-captain of the Third Team.

"Ah Fei!" Zhao Zi's clear voice rang across the lobby, and they turned to see Shao Fei's partner with Ray. Jack was just a step behind. All three had varying reactions to Tang Yi's presence: Zhao Zi was plainly surprised, Ray was embarrassed while Jack was visibly amused. "I thought I'd better escort Ray down myself," Zhao Zi said. "They’ve withdrawn the charges-"

"They should," Shao Fei said.

"-and he's free to go. Anyway, Ray was only fighting to help you, and in self-defence." Zhao Zi waved at Tang Yi, "Hi, Tang Yi," he said happily. "You must be here to bring Ah Fei back."

Ray ducked his head in a bow, "Boss."

Tang Yi inclined his head towards him in acknowledgement. "Good work," he said. "Thank you, Officer Zhao," he added and looked over his head at Jack, exchanging a nod with him. Ever since he moved in with Zhao Zi, Jack had led the life of a househusband and general gofer for Zhao Zi, acting (without his realising it) as Zhao Zi's impromptu bodyguard when the need called for it. Shao Fei didn't know whether to approve of his role (for Zhao Zi's sake) or disapprove (interference in police investigations) but was used to seeing him wherever Zhao Zi was. Occasionally though, Jack gathered information for Tang Yi, a little like what Andy did for him, though he called himself a consultant.

"Are you all right?" Shao Fei asked Ray.

Ray ducked his head. "Yes, Officer Meng," he replied. He did look none the worse for wear, a small bruise on his cheek notwithstanding. He then nodded at Tang Yi, "Boss, they'll know better than to mess with Officer Meng from now on." 

"I'm not hearing this," Zhao Zi said. "Ray, according to Article ___ of the Criminal Code, it is an offence to threaten another with intent to cause alarm or to put that person in fear of hurt or death, or-." (2)

"So it is," Tang Yi said. "Officer Zhao, I'm sure Ray was only helping them to understand where they had gone wrong."

Jack snorted. 

"But-"

Jack placed an arm around Zhao Zi. "I'm sure ex-boss knows what to do," he said at the same time Shao Fei shook his head at Tang Yi and focused on Gigi: "Gigi, I'll call you a cab. Let's wait outside." 

He was walking out with her just as Gigi said, "Shao Fei, are you a… what do they call it? A gang moll?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) The part about the straw shoe is a Korean proverb I heard in a K-drama, heh. 
> 
> (2) And I made up the law... erm, I'm sure something similar exists in Taiwan's Criminal Code but I made the wording up for this one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A policeman's work is never done. Shao Fei-centric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a lot of characters that I invented.

"Where's Meng Shao Fei?" The strident tones made Shao Fei look up in curiosity, wondering just who was so impatient as to barge into the riot act being read to him.

"Hey, where are you going?" Maggie, who had appointed herself Captain Liu's personal gofer, tried to stop the newcomer. "Stop! This is our territory, unrelated persons-"

The newcomer simply walked right past her and came to a stop before Shao Fei. She was short, but looked to be slightly older than Shao Fei, and the badge hanging from the black lanyard around her neck identified her as Captain Kang Shi Ping from Homicide. Her hair was technically shoulder-length but could rival Shao Fei's for its unruliness, her clothes looked as though she'd slept in them and the artificially cool, too-shiny look in her eyes indicated that she was one provocation away from police brutality. 

"Captain Kang, I'm Meng Shao Fei," Shao Fei said hurriedly.

"Oh good, you're in today," Captain Kang said to him, ignoring the furious expression on Captain Liu's face with breathtaking insouciance. "I need your help with my current case."

"But-" 

Shao Fei was going to say that there were official channels for this kind of thing, but Captain Kang glared at him. "It's urgent," she said, and began to usher Shao Fei towards the exit. Shao Fei, too curious to resist what seemed like a force of nature, decided to follow. So this was the legendary Kang Shi Ping…

"Just a minute," Captain Shi stretched a hand out to stop them, almost touching Captain Kang on the shoulder, only for her to eye his arm as though it were a rotting branch. He withdrew his arm, reddening. But he blustered on, "You can't just grab one of my people like that. We're in the middle of something."

Captain Kang rolled a shoulder (as though she couldn't even be bother to shrug with both shoulders), her eyes uncaring. "From the sounds of it when I walked in, you aren't making good use of your people," she said, a reference to Captain Shi's reprimand of Shao Fei. "Officer Meng, I need your help to prevent another murder."

Put like that, how could Shao Fei refuse? "I'll be back as soon as I can, boss," Shao Fei said. 

"Meng Shao Fei, you-you!"

"Let's go," Captain Kang said without further preamble, and Shao Fei rushed to keep up.

***

Shao Fei looked at the suspect in Room 3, and the one in Room 5. "They're from Xing Tian Meng," he identified, then frowned. "But Lao Jing, I mean, Li Shui Kou, he's the underboss at Taizhong. And that," he nodded towards Room 5, "is Li Hong, his second son. There's no reason for them to be in Taipei." 

Captain Kang nodded, and one of her detectives noted down the names. "We found them at the crime scene, sneaking around," he said. "They insist that they had nothing to do with the victim's body in the apartment, but refused to explain why they were there. And the victim's daughter is still missing."

"Daughter?"

Captain Kang studied him for a moment, then nodded at the detective, who showed Shao Fei a series of photos. 

Shao Fei studied the photos that showed the victim with her daughter, and blanched at the final one which showed the bloody body. (There was a reason he was in Organised Crimes and not Homicide. It was a sure-fire way to get burnt out in record time.) Then he shook himself. "I'm sure you didn't get me here just to help ID the two of them," he said to Captain Kang. "Why am I here?" 

He was awarded by a nod of approval from Captain Kang. "You're as quick as the rumours say," Captain Kang said. "Security footage shows someone, most likely the perpetrator, leaving the apartment just before those two," he nodded towards the interrogation rooms, "turned up. My men are searching for him now, but I'm certain they saw him. I need them to cooperate with us to identify him, and for that I need you."

"Me?" Shao Fei pointed at himself.

Captain Kang slanted a look at him, as if to say, this is no time to act dumb.

"Uh…" Shao Fei rubbed his nose. "All right. But I really can't guarantee-"

As though at an unseen signal, both men were brought out of the interrogation rooms to meet Shao Fei. Both of them exclaimed, "It's Officer Meng!" in unison with an undertone of 'Oh shit' in it, while Shao Fei fought the impulse to bury his head in his hands. There was a life-and-death matter at hand, he told himself. "Lao Jing, Ah Hong," he said.

Lao Jing simply looked embarrassed, while Ah Hong, who looked all of twenty-four, stared at Shao Fei for a few seconds, then suddenly burst out, "Does Boss know we're here?!"

This time Lao Jing looked as though he would have put his head in his hand if he weren't handcuffed. The last time Shao Fei met them, it had been fairly obvious that Ah Hong hero-worshipped Tang Yi.

"No, he doesn't know," Shao Fei said honestly, and father and son seemed to heave sighs of relief. 

One other thing. Shao Fei turned to Captain Kang. "If you need them to be witnesses, why are they handcuffed? You said the security footage cleared them."

"But they're gangsters," Captain Kang's assistant said. 

"And?" He made his expression as stony as he could, boring into their faces. Hm, it was kind of fun to imitate Tang Yi. 

"Release them," Captain Kang ordered. 

It only took a few minutes more before they all moved into the larger meeting room, the one that did _not_ double as an interrogation room. "Why are you here, anyway?" Shao Fei asked them once they were seated. "It's not Xing Tian Meng's business, is it?" 

"Uh, of course not, Officer Meng," Lao Meng replied, and soon the whole story unravelled about a love scam and the woman who convinced Lao Meng to hand over a good sum of money. Ah Hong just looked embarrassed. As for the man who brushed past them just as they reached the victim's apartment… 

"…grey hair, nearly white. Thin eyebrows, nearly disappearing."

"He was my height."

"In your dreams, you're shorter. Officer Meng, about this tall-" Hand gesture to match.

"Small eyes… nose was quite big."

"…like he hadn't shaved for days."

"…wearing sneakers, Nikes I think, white and brown."

"Dark blue T-shirt and pants… dark blue?"

"Black, old man." 

As the description flowed, Captain Kang's forensic artist quickly drew the suspect's face. With that, Lao Jing and Ah Hong were free to go.

Task accomplished, Shao Fei walked back to the Third Team's bullpen, frowning at his watch. Quick as it was (in Shao Fei's estimation, at least), it still took time for Captain Kang's men to finish the paperwork for Lao Jing and Ah Hong, and for Shao Fei to see that they left the police station without any complications. It had been nearly two hours. In his experience, Captain Liu could be in a snit for much longer than that.

But Captain Liu wasn't in; Maggie only shooed him away when he tried to ask, so he shrugged and turned away.

He gave the others a quick nod of greeting as he headed for his desk. He wasn't supposed to be on active duty today; they'd come in for the second debriefing after Sunday's raid on Volcano, the nightclub that was rumoured to be run by Hong Kong mafia. Actually, Shao Fei knew for a fact that it wasn't, but he'd had no evidence and he'd been firmly overruled. While they'd caught their target, the complaints were still coming in thick and fast, and Shao Fei was bearing the brunt for being recognised by one of the suspects. It wasn't even through his connection with Xing Tian Meng, but from one of his early arrests, but Captain Liu was lumping it together.

"Meng Shao Fei!"

"Sir," Shao Fei replied, shuffling through the stack of paperwork on his table, trying to arrange them by priority.

"You're back. Didn't I order to report to my office once you're back?"

"No, you didn't," Shao Fei said, not bothering to hide his annoyance at the implied insubordination. Captain Kang had dragged him away too hurriedly for that. "And anyway I popped by your office and Maggie refused to tell me where you were."

"Boss, I didn't!" Came Maggie's denial. "He just swaggered in like he owned the place and went straight to his desk!"

In the past, the obvious injustice of her accusation would have had Shao Fei up in arms, demanding that she took back her words. He'd since learnt to save his energy. "I did," he insisted, "but anyway, I just got back. Sir, was there something you wanted?"

"Like I said, the raid was exposed because of you. What are you going to do about the complaints from upstairs?"

Shao Fei put down his sheaf of files with exaggerated care. "First, Xiao K recognised me only after we'd made the arrests. Second, I already said Volcano's backers were not Hong Kong mafia so you couldn't count on them keeping quiet. They're venture capitalists and they're more likely to complain about the disruption to their business. Third, you were the one who drew attention to Xiao K after he saw me. We could have just bluffed it out, but you had to kick up a big fuss."

Captain Liu looked furious. "You think you're so clever, Meng Shao Fei?" he said.

"No, _Captain_," Shao Fei said, "I just don’t jump to conclusions. Now, if there's nothing else, it's nearly lunchtime, and I'm meeting Zhao Zi for lunch." He didn't need to mention that where Zhao Zi was, Jack was likely to be; and woe betide anyone that Jack did not like. Some members of the Third Team had found that out the hard way after teasing Zhao Zi for his relationship with Jack, and now trod carefully whenever there was any likely confrontation with Jack.

From the direction of the bullpen's entrance came, "Is Meng Shao Fei here today?" It looked like someone else had barged in just as Captain Liu was deciding whether to get (even more) pissed off.

"Present," Shao Fei called out, more to avoid continuing the conversation with Captain Liu than out of actual interest. He knew that Captain Liu, like several of the newer members of the Third Team, looked askance at his relationship with Tang Yi, but damn if he was going to apologise for it or act as though there was anything to be ashamed of. He glanced towards the entrance to the bullpen, and frowned. "Inspector Chi?" he identified a second later, feeling the years roll back. Inspector Chi had been one of Shao Fei's most respected instructors at the police academy.

"Look at you!" Inspector Chi must be pushing sixty now, but he still looked as hale as Shao Fei remembered, as he stomped his way towards them (the man was incapable of walking softly). "All grown up." 

Shao Fei relaxed and came forward to salute the man. "Sir!" he said. 

"None of that," Inspector Chi said, though he returned the salute before he, too, relaxed and patted Shao Fei on the shoulder. "I'm glad to see you're looking fine," he observed neutrally, glancing for just a moment from him to Captain Liu. Shao Fei didn't doubt for a moment that Inspector Chi had overheard the conversation between him and Captain Liu. 

Captain Liu saluted. "I'm Captain Liu Heng Li," he said. 

Inspector Chi shrugged, "I didn't ask."

There was a snort from the entrance, hastily stifled, and Shao Fei gave Zhao Zi a wave to beckon him over. Zhao Zi gamely made his way over, and saluted as well, "Sir!"

Inspector Chi frowned, puzzled. "I thought you were with Cybercrimes, Zhao Zi Zhao Li An."

Zhao Zi relaxed. "I transferred to the Third Team because Ah Fei said they needed a technical expert, Sir." 

"Is that so?" Inspector Chi looked from him to Shao Fei, and seemed to make up his mind. "Anyway, I came here for a meeting, and since it ended early (amazing, because these things never do), I thought I'd find Shao Fei for lunch. I remember how good he was at finding interesting places to eat. Come along with us, Zhao Zi."

That made Zhao Zi beam as though someone had set off rainbows in the bullpen. "Really?!" Zhao Zi had always adored Inspector Chi, who regularly spent his own money to feed them. But the next moment he deflated. "Sir, but we’re supposed to be eating with Jack at that new place. We have reservations-"

"Who's Jack?" Inspector Chi asked.

Zhao Zi brightened again. "My sweetie husband and most wonderful cook and the very best boyfriend in the whole world!"

"They are the same person," Shao Fei clarified to Inspector Chi.

"Oh." Inspector Chi studied Zhao Zi. "Well, he can join us, if he's the discreet sort. My aim was to pick Shao Fei's brains, anyway." 

"Sir?" Shao Fei made it an enquiry, while Zhao Zi skipped a little with joy as he quickly phoned Jack. 

***

"So you're Jack," Inspector Chi looked at Jack, his gaze lingering on Jack's red hair before sweeping down his entire self. 

Jack, naturally, was not the least cowed. "Inspector Chi. Zhao Zi said you're his most respected instructor from the police academy," he said with his usual cheerfulness. 

"Huh. At least he knows to be grateful for all those meals I've poured down his throat. He's actually a bottomless pit, aren't you, Zhao Zi?"

Zhao Zi shrugged, used to such descriptions. He snuggled up to Jack, uncaring that they were actually in the restaurant. "Inspector Chi really took care of me after Grandma passed away," he said simply, and just that, Shao Fei could see, Inspector Chi immediately went up in Jack's estimation.

"Pleasure to meet you, Inspector Chi," Jack said graciously.

Inspector Chi grunted, though his eyes were sharp as he studied Jack. "I heard something about some work that a mercenary did for International Crimes some years back, before he retired," he said bluntly. "Red hair. That you?"

Jack waved a hand as though brushing away a flying insect. "That's all done with. Let's not bring up complicated things."

Shao Fei could not help but admire Jack's dismissive attitude towards the past.

Inspector Chi stared at him for a second more, then looked at the way Jack was now gently blowing on Zhao Zi's cup of hot tea to cool it for him. 

Shao Fei met Inspector Chi's eyes. "Yes, Lao Chi," he assured the man, using the familiar address.

"Excuse me?"

"You do have to see it to believe it," Shao Fei said. He'd learnt more about Jack's exploits from a few things that Tang Yi mentioned and from his own connections with International Crimes, and the more he learnt, the more it felt unthinkable that a skilful, even vicious double spy like Jack could really settle down to domestic life. Zhao Zi was a good cop, but still seemed too innocent for someone with Jack's past. As far as Shao Fei could figure out, Jack had worked out some deal with International Crimes for immunity from prosecution, and had taken up a new (or old) identity as Fang Liang Dian, in return for permanent retirement from the spy business. 

Zhao Zi had said he didn't need to know more, so long as Jack was staying, which to anyone else, looked like someone living in denial but to Shao Fei was probably a stroke of genius. 

"What are you talking about?" Zhao Zi said. "Let's order! Ah Fei, what did that food review say? Their specialties are-"

***

"I wanted to ask you about these."

Shao Fei looked at each of the photos in turn. Then he frowned. "Wait, I recognise that tattoo," he said.

"Is it a Xing Tian Meng mark?" Inspector Chi asked. "Does Tang Yi have one?"

"No." It would take too long to explain that Xing Tian Meng didn't really have many distinctive gang markings – one would have expected Tang Yi to have a few, but Tang Guo Dong had brought Tang Yi up expecting him to clean up the gang, and refused to let him get one when he was growing up. "If it were, it would be at the shoulder, and it would include the cloud and lightning… hm."

"Yes?" Inspector Chi prompted.

Shao Fei stared at Inspector Chi. "Does this mean that you know- Erm, that I-"

"That you shacked up with Tang Yi of Xing Tian Meng?" Inspector Chi said, then snorted. "I always knew you had guts, Meng Shao Fei. Fucking a gang boss! I've got to hand it to you. That the reason your captain's convinced you're a sell-out?"

Shao Fei shrugged, not wanting to sound like a whiner. 

Zhao Zi chimed in, "He's always accusing Ah Fei of being biased."

"Zhao Zi!"

"What, it's true."

"That man hasn't got enough imagination to fill the bottom of his shoes," Inspector Chi said, with the assurance of someone who had decades of seniority on everyone else in the room. "I heard that Tang Yi's got a decent enough reputation on the streets, seems serious about cleaning up the gang, and besides that, I know you, Shao Fei. I trained you for four fucking years, watched you become the best. I'm not worried that you're on the take, and that's all I'm concerned with."

"Thanks, Lao Chi," Shao Fei said, tongue firmly in cheek, but he was touched. After a moment, he nodded towards the photo again. "I'll have to check, but there was a case that Zhao Zi and I were on last year. I think two of the members had tattoos like that. I think it was at…"

"The bowling alley case?" Zhao Zi instantly supplied. For certain things, his memory was even better than Shao Fei's. "Yeah, they kept saying they were from Xing Tian Meng, until Tang Yi came out and said they weren't. I remember that."

"Yeah. I'll dig up the files and send them to you, Lao Chi," Shao Fei said.

"Thanks."

***

Sated by a satisfying lunch (Zhao Zi had all but begged Jack to make the dishes that he really liked), Shao Fei and Zhao Zi entered the bullpen, only to see Captain Liu crossing his arms at them (but more at Shao Fei).

"Shao Fei, what are you going to do about the complaints?" Captain Liu roared.

_Again._


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ETA. Yikes. For anyone who got confused, I messed up by updating the wrong fic. Fixed now, and I'm really sorry. -_-;;;

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omake

After hearing the fourth "Is Meng Shao Fei here?" of the day, Meng Shao Fei stood up, torn between fury and an urge to drive home and have a tantrum so that Tang Yi could comfort him by kissing him and petting his hair. 

Out of patience, he burst out, "Look, I don't care who you are and what emergency you have. I'm not your residential Xing Tian Meng expert-" He swallowed the rest of his words as his brain caught up with what his ears had been trying to tell him. "What are you doing here?!" he asked, not caring that his question ended in a squeak.

"I'm looking for the Xing Tian Meng expert, of course."

"B-but T-Tang Yi-" It was his turn to be lost for words, it seemed. 

It was indeed his husband. Who was the last person Shao Fei expected to come up to the Third Team's bullpen. (He'd heard Zhao Zi say that Tang Yi did so once, but that was definitely a wild rumour.) Tang Yi was looking his usual debonair self in a dark blue suit (he looked best in that colour), with his lapel pin of a cartoon skeleton glinting under the lights and the pocket square that Shao Fei had tucked in for him that morning. Not a figment of his imagination, then. "What are you doing here?" he asked, pointing like a kindergartener. 

"Didn’t I say already? Looking for the Xing Tian Meng expert." Tang Yi came around, weaving around the other desks and stepping around the other detectives who were now staring, "Found him," Tang Yi said, standing in front of Shao Fei.

Quickly, Shao Fei regained what there was of his wits. "Erm, about that-" he rubbed his nose awkwardly. Did Tang Yi think that Shao Fei was really putting himself out as some kind of Xing Tian Meng insider, or worse, revealing details of Xing Tian Meng's internal business?

Tang Yi didn't look angry, however. Over the years, Shao Fei had identified the smallest twitches of Tang Yi's lips and tiniest tilt of his eyebrows to know his moods, and currently Tang Yi looked… fine? He gave a tiny jerk of his chin at Shao Fei, his usual greeting in front of other people. "It's late," he said.

Shao Fei sighed, and felt the stresses of the day melt away, as he pulled Tang Yi close enough to hug. No matter how his day was, seeing Tang Yi always made things better. He rested his chin on Tang Yi's shoulder, sniffing at the faintest cologne lingering on Tang Yi, and it was as though he were already home. Breathing deeply, he released Tang Yi, then caught sight of the corners of Tang Yi's lips curving up. "Um, Tang-"

Tang Yi's warm, intense kiss almost made him forget where they were, and as it was, his mind was dizzy when they finally separated. He could feel himself smiling too, seeing himself reflected in Tang Yi's eyes. "Sorry," he said. "I know I said I was just coming in to tidy up a few things before my leave starts tomorrow, but there were a few things…"

Such as the detective from Violent Crimes arguing that Shao Fei should tell him whether Xing Tian Meng was behind the latest gang fight at the docks. Then the one from Financial Crimes saying that Xing Tian Meng had been accused of money laundering, and needed Shao Fei to spill the beans on Xing Tian Meng's finances (of which Shao Fei knew nothing). The one after lunch wanted him to help defuse a hostage situation because the perpetrator used to be in Xing Tian Meng.

"So, all done now?" 

"Um, almost."

Although it did remind Shao Fei that they were not actually home and there was an audience. Maggie's mouth was still open, while Jun Wei was rolling his eyes. Zhao Zi just looked pleased. Shao Fei shook his head, did a last survey of his desk, determined that there was nothing else to do, and picked up his jacket. "Let's go."

/tbc


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crossover with HIStory 3: Make our days count. In a very minor way.

For all that Shao Fei liked to refer to Andy as "that vixen", he took the bar owner seriously enough to turn up promptly when the man contacted him. 

"You can see why I called you," Andy said, nodding towards the plainclothes and uniformed cops in his bar, but more particularly at a pair huddled in a corner, simultaneously comforting and defending the other if others got close. 

"Why are they even here?" Shao Fei had identified them as unrelated persons in one experienced glance, and decided that they should have been allowed to leave after a check of their IDs and taking down of contact details.

Andy crossed his arms, his gaze narrowed and hostile. "Need you ask? Your overzealous colleagues. As though it isn't enough to conduct a raid without my cooperation, they go around harassing perfectly innocent customers." 

"Hm."

As though realising that they were being talked about, the pair stared at Shao Fei and Andy before whispering to each other. 

Andy went on, "They're just university kids, and the shorter one works part-time at the sandwich shop downstairs. Officer Meng, they're definitely not involved in whatever operation your colleagues are busting today." 

Shao Fei studied the way they talked to each other, obviously nervous but trying to hide it from the other.

"Besides, I think they're ridiculously adorable," Andy said, a hint of laughter in his voice. "Don't you think so?"

Shao Fei chose not to comment. "I'll see what I can do."

A hasty conference with the captain in charge (who thankfully didn't object to Shao Fei being at the scene) soon bore fruit; the two university students could leave if Shao Fei took their statements. 

"I'm Officer Meng Shao Fei," he introduced himself, while the two grabbed each other's hands. "I'm here to take your statements, and you can leave after that."

"Really?" The taller of the two asked.

"We haven't done anything wrong," his companion insisted, only to be shushed by the other, "Xi Gu!"

Shao Fei considered. "Well, unless you are actually involved in the gambling scam that was just busted." 

The kid named 'Xi Gu' had eyes that seemed fierce enough to burst into flames. "Of course not!" he exclaimed. "We would never-" 

Shao Fei held up a hand to forestall more loud protests. "Let's take it in turn. Who's first?"

***

Shao Fei sat back as he looked through his notes and the signed statements, only glancing a few times at the two still holding hands. Yup, just kids. Barely twenty. Pretty smart kids at that, if they were attending one of the top universities in Taiwan. The shorter one was a scholarship kid, or Meng Shao Fei would eat his shoes, while his boyfriend looked to be a typical kid from a nice family. "Yu Xigu, Xiang Haoting," he said, and they looked up in the same instant. "It's all right," he said. "Nothing's going to happen to you." Both of them were indeed innocent bystanders, having decided to visit this bar only because Yu Xigu had a part-time job downstairs.

"I'll have a quick word with the captain, and then you can go home. Wait here."

Both of them nodded, and Meng Shao Fei went to talk to the captain, who frowned, then shrugged. "All right, so long we have their contact details."

"We do."

"Then I'll just note you signed off on them."

"Thanks." He went to the two of them. "Got your bags? I'll walk out with you."

They had matching backpacks, Shao Fei saw, and he had to hide a smile as they took the lift down. No wonder Andy had a soft spot for them. "My card," he said, doling them out. "Call me if anyone else from the police contacts you."

Downstairs was an unexpected presence. "Tang Yi?" Shao Fei said, "What are you doing here?" Despite his words, he was smiling - seeing his husband at any time was always enough to put him in a good mood - and impulsively pecked him on the cheek. 

"I had a meeting with Andy, except his assistant called to say that the bar had been raided and that you were here." He raised an eyebrow at Shao Fei, his face still neutral, but there was a smile in his eyes.

"Not my doing," Shao Fei said. "He just asked me to- Oh yeah." Recalling the pair, he nodded back at them. "Okay, you two can go home now," he said, and shooed them towards the main entrance.

"Thank you, Officer Meng!" they chorused and after a curious glance at Tang Yi, took off hand in hand.

Shao Fei turned back to Tang Yi. "Did you say you had a meeting with that vixen?" he asked with mock-outrage, and yelped as Tang Yi pulled him close for a longer kiss.


End file.
